The Truth

[chamrocck]

This season has been a disaster and so had to get things off my chest.

 

I am not sure anyone could have foreseen the poor record we have after 8 games. We have kept games close (silver lining) but have no ability to close games. Of our 5 losses, if we just had 2 of them go our way our record would still not be what we want but I think the truth is most would feel better about our future.

 

I generally like Riley the guy and am pulling for him. But I am disappointed that initially we heard that we would use our players according to their strengths. This has turned out not to be the case. Our QB is not a pocket passer with poise but that's how we are trying to use him. The game plan does not start with TA's strengths but rather with his weaknesses and when it doesn't work out we get this mix of new Tommy and old Tommy trying to make plays and it is not good. Tommy has regressed and I feel bad for him. He is a competitor put in a bad spot not using his strengths and it is accentuated by an awful OL. He is always under duress.

 

There has been no commitment to the running game. I think this is also accentuated by a bad OL as well as Riley's preference to pass. Sure I would like to run but we have had a lot of negative run plays and a pass-first coach is probably thinking "screw this...I am going to go to what I know". We don't have a RB the caliber of Helu, Burkhead, or Abdullah...combine that with a poor OL and the running game has a bleak outlook. Our best chance to get yards are with Westy and DPE and that's how I think Riley sees it.

 

On the defensive side of the ball, it has been really disappointing. The DL has had moments but I have not been impressed with any other unit. Injuries have played a factor but I expected much better play from guys like Rose-Ivey, Banderas, Gerry, and the CB's. Young has struggled as well. We have a commitment to a new defensive scheme and change is difficult. That being said, some of our personnel is slow and continue to take poor angles.

 

So the above tells me Riley is here to change things, even though we were not sold this initially. He's changing the offense, he's changing the defense (even to the point where we don't have the right guys for his system he is jamming his philosophy forward anyway). This tells me he is here at least 3 years and he knows it. Maybe 5 wins this year? A 7 win season next year as he continues to transition to his philosophies? Year 3 is the big year...he's got to do something this year...if year 3 continues to be a bust, then I see that as the end of this.

 

So this all sucks and I do realize it (actually have resigned myself that we are not going to be very good for awhile). But when I look back am I am trying to find who would we all have thought that coach would have been to take what Bo had done and tweak things to get us over those 9 wins? Who was the perfect coach to fit our system (power run first, sound defense, commitment to starting with a strong and deep OL). If we could go back who could we have got? My bet is maybe that person was not there, so we went with the anti-Bo that could at least eliminate that part of the problem.

 

So now the truth has been revealed and so far this staff has not done well (I have to think this staff thought they would have a much better record at this point despite the change they were implementing). I expect a lot of change going into next season including a QB battle. Recruiting will still be the tell tale sign to me. If Riley can find the right guys to play his system (both offense and defense) and high caliber recruits are coming then great, I will be the first to support this. At this point winning recruiting battles are just as important as winning games.

 

So now that we know the truth can Riley handle the truth? He was coming into a great situation with a strong likelihood he could make his mark in the first few years. But the truth is this year has just set him back and he may not make it out of his first contract. The truth is he needs to put evidence on the field and on the recruiting trail that he is up for the biggest job of his life. The truth is winning cures everything. GBR.

[GOAT]

I'm sure Riley knows that he's in over his head, but with a $2.7-million/yr. paycheck, I'm sure he's going to stick it out. 5 years, folks. 5 years.

[The Tall Texan]

Your right -The truth is winning cures everything.

[huskerfan92]

What really hurts is I associated the people who said this team would finish 3-9 or 4-8 with those people who keep predicting the apocalypse. I called them crazy in the offseason, and figured there was no chance that would happen. We are now facing the sad reality that this team can easily finish with 3 or 4 wins.

[NoLongerN]

I enjoyed the ops post and perspective.

[BoNeyard]

We most certainely have kept things close, but some of those close games have come to bad teams that we should have won. Illinois and Northwestern are the two I am thinking of. I could understand the BYU, Miami, and Wisconsin, just because we cant beat Wisconsin no matter what type of team they have.

[np_husker]

The truth is we hired an elderly coach with a losing record, who was more than likely going to be fired from his last job. Our cherished program is circling the drain and no one with the power to fix it cares. I like Riley the man, but not the coach.

[jam56]

The truth is we hired an elderly coach with a losing record, who was more than likely going to be fired from his last job. Our cherished program is circling the drain and no one with the power to fix it cares. I like Riley the man, but not the coach.

I agree 100% and when SE hired him I said then and I still believe it today $1,000,00.00 pay increase a year what t a great retirement program. ps I hope he didn't hang pictures in his new house yet

[lo country]

Here is an honest question. He went .536 at OSU. He had (4) 9+ win seasons in 13 years. His best record was 10-4 and highest ranking was #20..... So what makes NU a place that will attract better recruits than he got at OSU. Better faculties? Tradition? I am a homer so I would say yes to them all. The reality is we are not a winning program in the eyes of national pundits, a coaching destination nor a recruiting hot bed. I have heard ( I do not follow) the recruiting looks good. I have read these kids want to play for Riley. Couldn't/didn't he then get these same kids at OSU (same calibre). If so, that didn't translate to anything great. Really crappy by NU standards.

 

Maybe all we will get with Riley is what he did for the 13 previous seasons at OSU. Mediocrity followed by disappointment.

 

The mistakes, IMO, are not from talent. Its coaching. Listen to the game and the announcers talking about the lack of TA's mechanics, the clock management. Watch the play calling a complete lack of quality commitment to the run. The continued desire to throw 40+ times a game. Game 8 and Newby is our best back. No defensive scheme changes in the secondary even after the USA game Stewart and Banker said adjustments could be made to help Davie. Benching Davie and we are still getting toasted. Square peg continually being pounded into a round hole... That's all coaching.

 

One can argue the lack of blocking, the dropped passes, the penalties, but is our talent really that much lower than BYU, Illinois, NW, Wisky etc..... Those games shouldn't have been close to begin with IMO. That's a huge concern. This staff couldn't even get wins against teams that were as injured as us with less "talent". Through 2014, NU was #3 in the B1G with blue chip recruits.....#3 behind OSU and Michigan. We sure as hell are no way close to them. We have the same kids as seniors who won 9 games under Bo for 3 yrs, Juniors for 2 etc.... These kids had enough talent to get 9 wins. Its the same kids. The only change is the average, sub par staff.

 

Some of the staff tough has done great job IMO, Bray has done very well as has Williams. I also like how Hughes has the DL playing. Many of the others, I have no desire to have them return. If we give the staff another 5 years, IMO, we might break .500. Maybe. Riley's track record doesn't speak well for this. Winning is the biggest recruiting tool. Playing in conference championships and bowls helps recruiting. Kids are not stupid. They see the ineffectual coaching and are probably more savvy than those on the board. I am sure some even say, "I could start immediately", but I think as they look closer they'd be amazed at the mistakes by this "experienced" staff.

 

I'm not into the whole Riley "deserves more time". He got an opportunity and has thus far failed. From the staff hires, to the management to the implementation of a scheme that the players are ill fit to play. If he stays, it needs to be with the "Solich option" in that certain guys don't. This program can't take 3-5 more years of this crap. We are already behind the big boys in the B1G and the national scene. 14 years since we played in the MNC. Continue losing and the road to the top gets even longer and harder.

[lo country]

We most certainely have kept things close, but some of those close games have come to bad teams that we should have won. Illinois and Northwestern are the two I am thinking of. I could understand the BYU, Miami, and Wisconsin, just because we cant beat Wisconsin no matter what type of team they have.

The issue I have is that those losses shouldn't have even been close. We should have destroyed Wisky with our run D as well as NW and Illinois. Same with BYU. Our pass D has doomed us.

[lo country]

The truth is we hired an elderly coach with a losing record, who was more than likely going to be fired from his last job. Our cherished program is circling the drain and no one with the power to fix it cares. I like Riley the man, but not the coach.

Good points.